December 27, 2025 -- Philippians 3:12-14 -- Leaving the past behind, moving forward to Jesus

People loved by the Father, in the Spirit's power: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

12 Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. 13 Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. 
Philippians 3:12-14 ESV
 
What a statement from Paul! I wonder how often congregants in the various church plants which he started, or to whom he wrote letters of encouragement, knowing all his past sins felt revulsion against his words? He was a Pharisee. He was a murderer, approving the murder of the New Testament’s first martyr, Stephen. He imprisoned many people for their faith in Jesus Christ. I wonder, after his conversion, how many of those people he'd arrested were still languishing in prison? Just because Paul had converted, didn’t mean the people he’d persecuted were now free. In every congregation there’d be people who were furious with him for the family members he'd arrested, grieved because Paul has orchestrated the death of a loved one.
 
In chapters 1 and 2 Paul gave an excellent theology of community, of forgiveness, and then a great reflection on the work of God, which once He’d started it in a believer, He’d see that person’s salvation on to completion. Now Paul himself is exercising such faith and hope. He will not sit in the ashes and depravity of his past. He confesses freely he was the worst of sinners (I Timothy 1:15), but he is not stuck in that label. Because of the great grace of God in his life he can forget what lies behind. He does not let his past rule his future. Saved by the amazing grace of the Father, Who has reconciled Paul to Himself in Christ, he is fueled by the Holy Spirit to move on, confidently knowing his future is bound up in Christ. Therefore, he is focusing on Jesus. Longing for Jesus. Trusting His Father in heaven that Jesus is his all in all.
 
What a glorious salvation that is. No doubt, each one of us has so much baggage from our “before Christ” life. Even as Christians, there are so many things which still weigh us down. There are sins and griefs and broken relationships which are so painful. We are not perfect. We need the forgiveness of God and His healing kindness to us personally, in our families, in our communities, in our churches, in our denominations, among us as denominations and through-out the whole body of Christ. We have not already obtained all that is ours in Christ—but what we have already received is so glorious, and as we meditate on it, we realize it is so hope-inspiring, that we are encouraged all-over-again to press on to make the fullness of life in Christ ever more fully our own.
 
Gracious Father blessed are You! Scripture declares You Faithful to Your children, even though we are often so faithless. Merciful Father, thank You for the rich salvation which is ours in Christ. Covenant-Keeping, Loving Father, thank You for the work of the Holy Spirit Who guards us in Christ and preserves us so that we can persevere in the work of straining forward to the goal of full life in Christ. Amen.
 
https://youtu.be/gwHs6zcGxrA?si=8GeGEdcybawNITUw It Is Well with My Soul
 

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December 25, 2025 -- John 1:1-5 -- Repetition and more devoted worship

People loved by the Father, in the Spirit's power: Sh'ma ~hear and obey Jesus!

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
John 1:1-5 ESV
 
Merry Christmas dear family and friends in Jesus Christ! We sing familiar hymns and psalms and carols. We read familiar Scripture passages, like the one printed today. There is so much repetition. Is it boring? Not at all! Consider these insightful words, penned by Sinclair Ferguson:
Perhaps, after all, it is not merely repetition as such.
There is nothing repetitive (repeat, nothing!) about
the worship of God. Our words can never mean
simply and exactly the same every time we use
them. We better understand the seraphim as they
exclaim ‘holy art thou’ in their worship, if we
grasp that every time they utter the praise of God
and reflect on his holiness they experience an
ever fresh sense of what that word means as they
peer through their wings at his glory.
Sinclair Ferguson, Devoted to God’s Church.
East Peoria: Versa Press Inc., 2022, page 68.
 
To put it another way at Christmas, many of us take time to express our thanks to our dear friends for all they have done in the last year, (or years). Standing by us when times were tough. They encouraged us. Prayed for us. Simply silent there with us when there was nothing to say. So, at Christmas, when we say thank you, there is a greater fullness, and more joy in repeating these words. Though you may have already have said thanks to your friends so often, expressed why you value your friendship regularly, each new time it is repeated, there is a greater fervency, because more time has elapsed, more evidence of the depth of the friendship has been revealed. It is like that with God, except it is magnified.
 
Our repeated worship and praise is richer. It is infinitely greater. The God of all eternity stepped into time and revealed such wondrous love in Jesus Christ that our words often fail to capture our awe and blessedness. We repeat the songs of praise, the carols of love and the psalms of devotion, and powered by the Spirit’s presence in our souls, our worship is deeper, more honest, more-heart-felt each time. Because the longer we live, the more of God’s grace and kindness we understand. The darkness of this world, the stresses imposed by sin and the wreckage our oft-repeated rebellions are overcome by the light of Jesus Christ Who shines, piercing the veil of darkness that once gripped us. In His light we see light.
 
Our Father in heaven, how precious and immense is the salvation You have given us in Jesus Christ. Spirit of the Living God, take our words, our carols, and our prayers, so oft repeated, as soul-meant, sincere, offerings of worship. In the repetition of them, may we realize the depth of Your love to us and increase our love, hope, joy, peace and devotion to You, Triune God of Glory. Amen.
 
https://youtu.be/9Bwn0k0k8xI?si=gnTNNY0ACAkixphm “Hark! the herald angels sing

 

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December 23, 2025 -- Mark 3:27 -- The expulsive power of love

People loved by the Father, in the Spirit's power: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

 But no one can enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man. Then indeed he may plunder his house.
Mark 3:27 ESV
 
Dear readers, we have spent most of the month of December exploring the power of sin. Today is the final examination of it and then we’ll also turn to what defeats the sin of our hearts and mind and soul. Thomas Chalmers (1780-1847), sometimes called Scotland’s greatest nineteenth century preacher. Several times in the last month or so, in sermons and readings, there’s been a reference to Chalmers. Thought it’d be good to explore. What I read was powerful indeed.
 
Why is sin so tenacious, keeping a stranglehold on us? Jesus offered the image of sin’s rule in as the reign of a strong man zealously guarding its hapless prisoner in bondage to sin, guilt, shame and hopelessness. If that is true, then, to summarize Chalmers, why not just give a stirring explanation of the destructive tendency of sin so that the hearer will hate his sin and leave it? Chalmers noted:
     It will now be seen, perhaps, why it is that the heart keeps by its
     present affections with so much tenacity- when the attempt is, to
     do them away by a mere process of extirpation. It will not consent
     to be so desolated. The strong man, whose dwelling-place is there,
     may be compelled to give way to another occupier- but unless
     another stronger than he, has power to dispossess and to succeed
     him, he will keep his present lodgment unviolable. The heart would
     revolt against its own emptiness. Page 4 The Expulsive power of a
     New Affection.
Basically, the heart abhors a vacuum. If one tried to kill the strongman of sin, he’ll fail because a man persuaded that his sin is bad, will not, unless he’s found a more powerful affection, let his heart stay empty.  Something else must take hold, something greater, all-together consuming.
 
Here we turn a corner and examine what has the power to evict sin. Again, read Chalmers:
     Neither they nor any one else can dispossess the heart of an old
     affection, but by the expulsive power of a new one- and, if that
     new affection be the love of God, neither they nor any one else
     can be made to entertain it, but on such a representation of the
     Deity, as shall draw the heart of the sinner towards Him.
     Page 8 ibid.
Basically, a man who thought he was in love, will, when he meets his true love, willingly leave the old love. When love is rich, deep, true, enveloping, everything else is forgotten. That is the work of the Strongman, Jesus. People won’t leave their comfortable sins and habitual rebellions for a mere moral value or new set of rules. However, one will lay down his life, and willingly take up a new affection when the expulsive power of the Father’s love, demonstrated in Jesus Christ, grabs his heart by the Holy Spirit.
 
Chalmers notes that preaching should stir the imagination. Descriptions of the knowledge of God and living in relationship with Him must be so graphic, and genuine, and glorious that the hearer knows, Jesus the Strongman, has bound the enemy and cast him out for good. Then the strong love one has for Jesus, Who is the rescue story, will capture the heart, move the mind, and touch every subsequent action.
 
Lord Jesus Christ, plunder my heart. Evict every squatter still lingering in it after sin’s expulsion. Spirit of God, so fill my imagination and my heart with the glorious rule of Jesus that all other affections, all old loves, are completely forgotten. Father in heaven, make my heart a fit dwelling for Your love. Amen.
 
https://youtu.be/Pr2RG-xR2lA?si=ldXm4bElQq1Nu7KA Prince of Peace
 
 
Microsoft Word - Chalmers, Thomas - The Exlulsive Power of a New Af
 

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December 22, 2025 -- Galatians 6:14 -- The world crucified to me and I to the world

People loved by the Father, in the Spirit's power: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.
Galatians 6:14 ESV
 
As we continue to examine sin—its far-reaching, devastating effects on us—consider the words of Dietrich Bonhoeffer.
Is there some part of your life which you are refusing to surrender at his
behest, some sinful passion, maybe, or some animosity, some hope,
perhaps your ambition or your reason? If so you must not be surprised
that you have not received the Holy Spirit. The cross is laid on every
Christian. The first Christ-suffering which every man must experience
is the call to abandon the attachments to this world…The cross is not the
terrible ending to an otherwise god-fearing and happy life, but it meets us
at the beginning of our communion with Christ. When Christ calls a man,
he bids him come and die. (As quoted in Sinclair Ferguson, Devoted to
God’s Church, East Preoria: THE BANNER OF TRUTH TRUST, reprinted
2022, page 42.)
 
Why is Christ not all-together lovely to you? Ask yourself, what are you not surrendering.
 
Why is the Christian life a drudgery and duty that seems hollow and hard? Ask yourself what passion you are holding onto instead of clinging to Jesus for dear life which in turn results in life that is dear and sweet.
 
The apostle Paul’s own life bears witness to his costly love for Jesus. At the cross Paul laid down his former justifications, his old way of life, he left religious colleagues and status. He despised the old system, the old way of life and his own pride. Thus humbled, the Spirit aided him until his heart emptied of himself, and he was strengthened in his inner man to fully receive the Father’s love which was so extravagantly his in Christ.
 
Why do some Christians claim there is no suffering in the Christian life—at least not in North America? I would argue it is because they have not met Christ who bid him come and die. Your former life consisted of, embraced in fact, sin and rebellion. When a man or woman has been made alive in Christ, the world is exposed as rotting flesh and the stench the emanates from it. The beginning of our communion with Christ is an experience of death, the awareness of how dead we were in sin. Life in Christ is the refusal to return to pathways of sin and rebellion against God. Life in Christ is wondrous, free, sweet.
 
Our Father in heaven, You are compassionate and glorious! Thank You for raising us from death to life through Jesus Christ. Spirit of the Living God, shine the word into every crevice of our heart and every hidden corner, so that all lingering sin and any hoarded shred of our old life is removed. Shine in us, and through us, Holy Spirit, so that the world is crucified to us, and we to the world. Then Spirit of God, cause our communion with Jesus to flower, to deepen, and continually bear the rich fruit of life and this to the glory of our Father in heaven. Amen.
 
https://youtu.be/-BUpskcVd_k?si=hrjjOqa0auqSQ4Rx I Make my Life a Prayer to You
 

Copyright © 2025 Sh'ma Christian Ministries, All rights reserved.

December 21, 2025 -- Matthew 6:25,32 -- Secure in Your Father's Love

People loved by the Father, in the Spirit's power: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat, or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on…For Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all.
Matthew 6:25,32 ESV
 
Whenever you read the word “therefore” in the bible ask yourself what is it there for? What happened just before this? Before this teaching, Jesus taught His disciples to pray: “Our Father in heaven”. You know the prayer so well. You realize a significant petition, or request contained in the prayer are these words “give us this day our daily bread”. Everything we need for life and godliness are bound up in that little-seeming request, which is, as you can see, a huge request. Those who are assured of their Father’s love and aware of His bountiful care, when they pray, confidently trust in His provision.
 
The closer context is the teaching of treasures stored up on earth, or those stored up in heaven. Whatever, or whomever you are serving proves which master you are serving. If you have truly placed your treasure in heaven, then you will be looking up, knowing that God is all-powerful, able to hear and answer your prayers. As your thoughts are focused on heavenly matters, you realize Jesus Christ is seated at the Father’s right hand. Jesus, our Mediator, sent by the Father to reconcile us, sinners though we were, to achieve the cross-won reconciliation whereby we are freed of our sins and shame, and Spirit-enabled to turn to God.
 
Interesting, isn’t it, that Jesus is teaching precisely what He is living. He doesn’t have a home. No bank account. No shelter bed He goes to. He is a wandering preacher, dependent on God for His food and drink and His clothes. He lived each day confident of His heavenly Father’s provision. Above all, Jesus was confident in His Father’s love. The circumstances of His life were all perfectly arranged so that as a Man, Jesus would live a life completely dependent on His Father’s provision. Jesus lived, assured that fruitful and lean years, any money or any poverty He had came to Him not by chance, but from the Fatherly, merciful, hand of God.
 
Anxiety is thrown down precisely because believers have their Father in heaven. He is a good Father. He is a faithful Father. He is a proven Father, Who has always supplied the needs of His people in times past. Understand, your greatest need is knowing God intimately. The single-longing for which you were created is to be in fellowship with the Divine One, Who fashioned you for relationship with Himself. When you look back on your life, you’ll see how all circumstances worked together to bring you into an awareness of your sin, show you your need to unburden yourself of that sin, and then, most importantly, your greatest need and pleasure in life which is to walk in close communion with God. The result of that is that your sins will never again gain control of your life. God Who called you, Who through Jesus reconciled you and removed your shame, is the same God Who by His Spirit will guard you in rich fellowship with Himself. That chain of salvation gives the LORD’s people the confidence of His covenant love which allows them to serve God, no matter what else is going on in their life. Therefore, since God is our Father, therefore, since God loves us and has faithfully proven His love to us in Christ, we are not anxious.
 
Our Father in heaven, we bless You. Thank You for Your faithful provision in every area of our life. Teach us to trust in You. By the reconciling work of Jesus, let our confidence in You grow and our devoted love for You increase. By the ever-present work of the Holy Spirit, let the light of Your love and Your work in us, draw many others to You as they see our confident security in Your great love. Amen.
 
https://youtu.be/TxC16duiHvQ?si=fx8WA3knCDi4g2oC O Lord, My Rock and My Redeemer

December 20, 2025 -- Psalm 90:15 -- Crying out for the never-ending, soul-satisfying love of God

People loved by the Father, in the power of the Spirit: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love,
   that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.
Psalm 90:14 ESV
 
What a glorious prayer request is available to believers. The writer, Moses, has in verse 13, acknowledged the familiar feeling of being far from God (return, O LORD!). This is the same Moses of whom God said, “I speak to Moses face to face” (Exodus 33:11). How devastating it must be when Moses who was familiar with the nearness of the compassionate, gracious God should now feel instead the absence of that majestic, comforting, glorious presence. He is hungering and thirsting for the Living God and therefore demands to be satiated with God’s fulfilling love.
 
Moses knew that the steadfast love of God is always nearby. The steadfast love of God is a translation of the famous Hebrew word hēsēd. Hēsēd love emphasizes the covenant faithfulness of God. His unfailing love that is within reach of all who seek their gracious Father with all their heart, soul, mind and strength.
 
It is our sinfulness, our waywardness, our toying with sin, our focus on things present, or circumstances which divert our eyes from the warmth of our Father’s love and presence. The morning sets the tone for the whole day. Crying out for the renewal of one’s awareness of the love of God is pictured in my brain as an infant in a crib, just awake, who cries for the nearness of a parent. Though the monitor is on, though the parent is near, the infant has hands outstretched longing to be embraced, because fear has caused him to think maybe his parent is far away. More than having a diaper changed, more than eating, the desire is for the sensation of the arms of a parent securely wrapped round about him, the sweet closeness of being in the bosom of the parent with the warmth of breath on the neck.
 
Why are some of our days, or weeks, so difficult? Why are we off to a bad start of a day and a worse finish to our day? Could it be we have neglected to cry out to God? Could it be we have become so familiar to our soul’s urgent longings for God and substituted things, busy-ness, addictions, people or other loves in the place of the steadfast love of God? Eventually we are numbed. Our familiar soul-need-and-longing for the Presence of our Father is thrust aside by habitual neglect—well, then it should be no surprise when we are left wondering where God went?
 
Ah, this is the beauty of Christmas. The steadfast, wall-smashing, door-busting, soul-chasing love of God never ceases. His mercies are new every morning. He has demonstrated this most clearly in Jesus Christ—Who left His Father’s throne, becoming incarnate as a man. He is Immanuel, God with us. Taking our sinfulness, bearing the punishment for our sins. Taking away our shame far from us so that we can call out to the Father with the assurance we are heard, we will be heard, we have been heard. It is the compassion of God which brought about the reconciling work of Jesus, so that all who call out to God, “satisfy me in the morning with Your loyal, never-ending love” are soul-strengthened by the Spirit to make this plea. Be assured, He is near. His embrace warms you.
 
Return, O LORD!
Have pity on us, Your people.
Forgive us our half-hearted service and our prayerless prayers.
Satisfy us once again, this morning, with Your strong, faithful love. Amen.
 
https://youtu.be/sriugl-nO38?si=mvfykpz83m7YHnEI Immanuel
 

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December 17, 2025 -- Jeremiah 17:10 -- Sin, blame-shifting, and God's amazing healing

People loved by the Father, in the Spirit's power: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

The heart is deceitful above all things,
   and desperately sick;
   who can understand it?
I the LORD search the heart
   and test the mind,
to give every man according to his ways,
   according to the fruit of his deeds.
Jeremiah 17:10 ESV
 
In Hebrew heart is kidneys, or guts. You know the expression, “I feel it in my guts”, right? In Hebrew culture the seat of emotions and the place where unconscious decisions are formed is in the deep, inner place. So much of what we do flows from the inner heart, which is, as God reveals to His people, deceitful and sick. It needs to be tested. It needs to be purified. God searches the heart and tests the mind, He provides pains, trials, circumstances and experiences in life which require a believer to rely on the Holy Spirit and ask, “Am I going it alone, or am I really trusting God for all I need?”
 
When we realize how deep-rooted sin is, how it has penetrated to the emotive centre and the rational brain so that even our self-examination is even tainted, it is at that moment we realize what we’re fighting. And, thanks be to God through our Lord Jesus Christ, we also realize how great is the work of God effected in us.
 
What is sin? Even in our repentance we can sin. Tim Keller calls it “counterfeit repentance”.  “One counterfeit is blame shifting. ‘I’m sorry, but you know it really isn’t my fault.’ But real repentance takes full responsibility for your sin. One way to shift blame is to justify our sin. The seventeenth-century writer Thomas Brooks called it ‘painting sin with virtue’s colors.’ We look at ourselves and say, ‘I’m not greedy, I’m just thrifty;’ ‘I’m not proud, just assertive…” Timothy Keller, Forgive. Penguin Books, 2022, page 143).
 
When the LORD of Glory has, by His Spirit, illuminated the deceitfulness of your heart and revealed to you the sickness of your mind, the counterattack begins. Sin’s warped protectiveness is to shift blame, to cause many distractions so that the heart and mind tell you: “Listen, you do not really need to repent, do not need to change according to the perfections of God’s holiness.” That is blame shifting. Excuses then follow. “I know I did this bad thing, but I was forced to do it”. Or, “I had no other choice.” The penetrating light of the Spirit holding high the Word of God, which cuts away lies from their clinging, parasitic hold on you, will not let you wriggle away unchanged.
 
Thanks be to God, He reveals our waywardness. Thanks be to God He shows how deceitful and desperately sick the heart is—once the diagnosis is made, the appropriate remedy can be applied. When the Spirit has shown you your sin, confess it. No excuses. No blame-shifting. No counter accusations against others. Own it. Confess it. Repent of it. To repent is to decisively turn away from that sin and make the commitment ever to go back to it. Wherever necessary to stay true to God, do that, so that you move further away from sin and closer to the God blesses your trust in Him (Jeremiah 17:7). Furthermore, acknowledge, those around you have as deceitful a heart as you have and as desperately a sick heart and mind as you do. Be patient. Kind. Enduring the backlash of others until the Spirit, in grace and love, rescues your brother or sister and restores to them the joy of true fellowship. By the way, there are others who are already treating you that way. These fellow Christians, having been healed of their own significant sins and lawlessness, wait for you, are patient with you, as they trust the Spirit will, by His gracious timing and love, finally show to you your significant sins and lawlessness. When you repent and join them in declaring the goodness of God, you will realize in all things, the reconciling work of Jesus is revealed, and the patience of God is proven to be glorious.
 
Oh God, Whose Name is the LORD—faithful, true, holy in all You do—blessed are You. Thank You for the great salvation You have forged in us through Jesus Christ. Thank You, that by Your Spirit, You are making this rich and glorious salvation effective in every part of the heart, mind and soul of your people. Thank You that You work in us individually, and that You work in us through family, through covenant community and church family. Amen.
 
https://youtu.be/tGohh1gGTug?si=YhyHpnCSbR9n42bN Gentri: Still, Still
 

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December 16, 2025 -- Proverbs 16:22 -- Conquering sin by relationship with the Source of All Good

People loved by the Father, in the Spirit's power: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

Good sense is a fountain of life to him who has it,
but the instruction of fools is folly.
Proverbs 16:22 ESV

The proverbs are notoriously hard to translate. There are snippets of wisdom packed closely together and the context changes so rapidly. No wonder one translation varies so much from others. The underlying Hebrew gives wonderful access to the meaning of the words. A variant translation, emphasizing the Hebrew word order would read like this: “A fount of life is wisdom for its owner, but the instruction of fools is folly”. At first glance it just seems like there is a slight change in word order, but more is going on.

The word fountain can mean a deep well, like a deep well of knowledge or good sense, and it can mean a fountain, a welling up of water to eternal life. It is ever flowing. It is fresh and pure. The word “good sense” is wisdom as one who is in relationship with God. It is the contrast to those who are fools, or foolish—that is, godless in their thinking. The one with good sense, that is someone who has moral wisdom that flows from a living, deep relationship with God, is said to be husband to such wisdom. The blasé ESV version renders it “has it”, it being a reference to wisdom. The original language uses the word master or husband. Wisdom is such a key component of the believer’s life that he is married to it. He is faithful to it. He is devoted to wisdom, as much as a man who loves his wife is devoted to her.

Fools on the other hand get their instruction, or their education from folly, or godlessness. They are unteachable. Ungovernable. Stagnant in their thinking. It is a very dark description of the condition of the mind of a fool. Scripture notes that a fool is anyone who says, or lives, as if God is not fully in charge of all things. He is a fool because all of life declares the nearness and the glory of God and he is putting his hands over his eyes, and his ears and shutting his mind to any form of learning which might lead him to know God as Father, Jesus as the Redeemer and the Holy Spirit as the instructor in all truth.

What is sin? According to this passage in the Proverbs, sin is a stubborn, persistent unwillingness to know God. Sin is the refusal to see what is plainly evident in all of creation. Sin is the obtuse refusal to consider God the Father as the source of all good. 

What is the antidote? It is to get married to wisdom. When you first enter a relationship, you meet someone you’re interested in and there is much joy. You ask questions. You spend time. You can’t wait to meet again. Eventually, you marry this person. It is the intimate giving up of oneself wholly to the other. You realize at the one-year mark, you didn’t really know who you’d married, there is much more to learn and know. At the ten-year mark there is still so much unexplored, as children enter into your life and you realize the complexity of your partner which is highlighted by this new stage in life. So it is with knowing God. The more time you spend with Him, the more you desire Him. The more you desire Him and know Him the more you realize He is a purifying fountain of life, welling up within you. He leads you by His Spirit. He refreshes your soul. He enables you to understand your life—both the good times and the times of hardship and pain. As you look back and review your life, you realize that the longer you know God, the more there is to know. What joy unspeakable and full of glory there is in wisdom that is anchored in a relationship with God.
 
Your word promises, “blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD”. Faithful Father, that is so true and we confess to robbing ourselves of Your rich, varied, persistent blessings because of our half-hearted-low-tolerance-for-pain relationship with You. By the reconciliation You have worked through Jesus Christ, give us the joy of Your salvation. By the bond of the Holy Spirit renew in us a dedication to obey You and whole-heartedly serve You, with the result that the more we do serve You, the more we desire to do so. May we then find, the more we begin to serve You, we realize we hardly know You at all, but what we know of You leads us to adore You, longing to adore You more. We love You, longing to love You more. We find in holy service to You, our life’s calling and greatest pleasure, and our zeal to serve You is multiplied and enriched, leading to a more profound desire to know You. Amen. 

https://youtu.be/oeqDmSwllRY?si=PhZr7j9aM-6wRQNc “The Trumpet Shall Sound”
 

Copyright © 2025 Sh'ma Christian Ministries, All rights reserved.

December 14, 2025 -- Genesis 6:5 -- Examining the source of impulses and deeds

People loved by the Father, in the Spirit's power: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

The LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
Genesis 6:5 ESV
 
What is sin? The late Tim Keller (1950 – 2023) continued to refine his definition of sin; noting not only is it disordered worship, but it is the "heart desire of every person to be his or her own Savior and Lord". Why did the LORD send the great flood upon the earth that destroys every person on the earth, except believing Noah and his wife, their three sons and daughters in law? Our text this morning explains it. He sent the flood because every person on the earth constantly rejected God and instead of worshiping the LORD by obedience to His commands, fulfilled his own desires, lusts, intentions and wants.
 
What does it look like when a man desires to be his own savior and lord?

• A man figures he is good, able to save himself when he disregards the word of God.

• A man acts according to the tyranny of his faithless desires of his heart when he does not submit heart, mind, intentions and will fully to the direction of God.

• A man will gladly sing secular songs but recoils at the suggestion of singing psalms and hymns. They are too foreign, too weird to his rebellious heart.

• A man proves he is own savior and lord whenever he knows what is right and do not do it. For example, he will go to secular concerts, enjoy the theatre, but the thought of going to church is mere duty and drudgery.

• A man lives as his own savior and lord when he does not consider how near the end of his life really is. When death comes, a man’s utter inability to change the course of his eternal destiny (hell) is confirmed.

When a man is new creation in Jesus Christ, the old desires, lusts, and the tyranny of self-rule is exposed. The Holy Spirit shines the word of truth into the mind and heart of the believer and exposes every instance of celebrating one’s own superiority or ability to save. Seeing the corrupt worship of the heart and the constant inclination to serve its own evil thoughts and intentions is revealed as vile. Therefore, the believer, seeing the true condition of his sin-riddled heart, loves the Word of God as the pathway of salvation. The believer renounces the tyranny of his heart and its godless intentions and prays the prayer of Jesus, “Father, You will be done on earth as it is in heaven”. He desires the heavenly will of the Father to infuse the very impulses of his heart. The believer will begin to see where the wicked intentions of the heart are reawakened and stirred up and will leave off the former activities in which he so readily used to engage. He will gladly go to join with the people of God in worship. He will delight in knowing his life and even his death is in the care of Jesus, His true Lord and Savior so that for him to live is Christ and to die is gain (as Paul so eloquently stated it in Philippians 1:21).
 
Glorious Father, thank You for the grace and peace You have lavished on Your people through our Lord Jesus Christ. By the work of Your Spirit in the depths of the inner person, where will is formed and impulses originate, completely wipe out the root of sin and grant that devotion to Christ will be the highest standard and the greatest good from which will flow every other action of our life. Forgive us for the unregulated thoughts, the unexamined impulses, the reckless selfishness that still seeps from within and through us, instructing us in wickedness and evil. Renew in us the joy of Your salvation so that worshiping You among Your people is a delight. Spirit of God, restore to us the joy of Your salvation so that we willingly submit our impulses and desires and actions wholly to Jesus and this to the glory of our Father in heaven. Amen.
 
https://youtu.be/y3gWwGDGgVA?si=t4jMMtLqFSnnSFeq “Take My Life and Let it Be”
 

Copyright © 2025 Sh'ma Christian Ministries, All rights reserved.

December 12, 2025 -- Proverbs 12:12-14 -- The zombie-parasite of sin and its antidote

People loved by the Father, in the Spirit's power: Sh'ma ~hear and obey Jesus!

Whoever is wicked covets the spoils of evildoers,
but the root of the righteous bears fruit.
An evil man is ensnared by the transgression of his lips,
but the righteous escapes from trouble.
From the fruit of his mouth a man is satisfied with good,
and the work of a man’s hand comes back to him.  Proverbs 12:12-14 ESV
 
Have you ever heard of zombie mice? Sound like the plot of a “B” movie, doesn’t it? A mouse infected with toxoplasma gondii has a parasite that radically affects the behavior of the mouse. This toxoplasma gondii works on the brain of the mouse such that it no longer has a fear of cats. When a cat eats the numbed, fearless, infected mouse, the life cycle of the parasite continues in the cat. Does that ever sound like sin!
 
Look at the recklessness that sin evokes from the man or woman infected by it. The wicked man (one so infected by the parasitic machinations of sin) longs for, studies, constantly thinks about whatever it is that evildoers have. They want what they don’t have. They crave it. The more they focus on it, the more alluring it is. The more the parasite of sin lures them to the jaws of self-destruction and death.
 
The perverted longing of the heart, infected by the parasite of embedded sin, will keep that sinner babbling on about the very thing that is killing him. The people all around him can see the death it is bringing, the reckless behavior that accompanies it, but obliviously, he talks on, mocks on, and walks right to his death.
 
Sin, as defined by Tim Keller, (who in turn got it from Romans 1) is disordered worship. But it doesn’t stop there. When someone is captivated by sin, staring at it, longingly considering it, such delinquent behavior evokes more delinquent behavior. Sin generates more sin as its parasitic nature means it will multiply in its host and lead the host to death.
 
The antidote is found in our reading in Proverbs. A righteous man and a righteous woman are those, healed in Christ, who know the holiness of God and express it in daily life. They had the infectious parasite of sin raging in them. But the Spirit of God restrained the full extent of their sin. The Spirit of God brought them to the point of self-awareness, so they realized their utter neediness and helplessness. The Father grafted them into Jesus Christ—the root and true vine of all holiness. They were not naturally fruitful. They were not naturally able to do any good work. It was and is the life-giving, hope-restoring, fruit-bearing life of Jesus working in them that broke the cycle of sin and its parasitic influence.
 
When a righteous man sees a sinner, he realizes the stupefying effects it has on its hosts, and he prays even more earnestly for the sinner. When a righteous woman sees an evildoer, she has compassion, knowing herself how controlling and tyrannical its effects are on its host. Therefore, the righteous man and the righteous woman do not join in wickedness, but escape trouble through greater union with Jesus and Spirit-fueled love for the Father, Who effected this rescue. Christians are not better than zombie sinners, they are grateful hosts of the Spirit of Jesus Who leads them in good and godly works.
 
Our Father in heaven, thank You for rescuing us from the parasitic, death-inducing, tyranny of sin. Blessed be Your Name. Thank You, Jesus, for the inestimable love which You have demonstrated toward us at Your incarnation, and by Your life, suffering, crucifixion, death, resurrection, session to the Father’s right hand and now Your rule in glory. Holy Spirit, thank You for maintaining our connection to Jesus through in-grafting, and enabling the healing life which flows from the root of Jesus’ righteousness to inoculate us against every sin and curse so that we are satisfied with good. Amen.
 
https://youtu.be/NPlVhCZUR68?si=64wy6GG8GSFbfo72 The Lord’s Prayer
 

Copyright © 2025 Sh'ma Christian Ministries, All rights reserved.

December 11, 2025 -- Romans 1:24-25 -- Sin defined as disordered worship

People loved by the Father, in the Spirit's power: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, because they exchanged the truth of God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.
Romans 1:24-25 ESV
 
As we continue this series on “what is sin” we’re examining the reflections of well-known preachers and theologians. The late Tim Keller called sin fundamentally disordered worship. You can see from the passage in Romans 1 the source of this definition. Earlier in Romans 1, Paul describes the fact that wrath of God is revealed against all ungodliness and unrighteousness (verse 18). The heavens declare the glory of God, the divine attributes of God, the Creator can be discerned through creation, but men suppress the truth.
 
Have you ever tried to hold a beach ball underwater? The air in the beach ball will constantly push against you as the air forces the orb towards the surface. So it is with people who try to suppress the truth about God and His worthiness to be worshiped. As much as one will try to suppress worshiping Him, one will inevitably know he is pushing against the truth of His creation, His presence, His commands and His right to be worshiped and praised. Whenever God “pops up” folks, in their disordered love, will try to push Him down again. Away from thoughts. Away from accountability. Away from influencing how they ought to live knowing they were made for God and to worship Him and Him alone.
 
What is the result of disordered worship? Well, people begin to serve the creature, rather than the Creator. No wonder porn sites are always busy. No wonder men and women debase their bodies in all kinds of illicit affairs. No wonder folks are addicted to shopping, to gaming, to alcohol, to food, to drugs and so on. As soon as one tries to hold the beach ball of God’s incredible worth, holiness and blessedness down, it will, inevitably pop up again.
 
Ultimately, those who do not confess their disordered worship will, at the end of time, face the wrath of God. No mercy will be shown, for they have trampled the Son, Jesus, Who was sent to rescue them from this disordered worship. Those who suppress the truth in this life, will for eternity, be punished by the just anger of God. He Who made us, Who sustains all people, day and night, has every right to the honour due His Name. It is why Paul ended this section with the doxology, that is, words of praise to God “the Creator, Who is blessed forever! Amen (verse 25). Even His wrath and the defense of His holiness is witness to His greatness and His forbearance. While people lived, and there was every opportunity to know Him, and re-orient their worship towards Him, they did not.
 
Today is the day of salvation. Today as the world is marching toward the celebration of Christmas, the time when the Incarnation of Jesus is celebrated, re-order your life and your worship. Turn to God the Father, through the accomplished work of Jesus and in the power of the Holy Spirit submit your will, your words and your daily walk to Him. Truly He is forever blessed.
 
God of royal splendour and all-glory, blessed be Your Name now and forevermore. Assist us, by Your Holy Spirit, to turn from all false and distorted worship, and in awe, love and wonder worship You alone. Encourage us, in true community, to call one another to acts of obedience and holy service and times of gathering with Your people for holy worship. Revive us, so that our lives, our public and private worship, reflect the glory of Your Name. Amen.
 
https://youtu.be/sTg4BhoKevE?si=pgz56V_7JySAqJfD O Come, Let Us Adore Him
 

Copyright © 2025 Sh'ma Christian Ministries, All rights reserved.

December 10, 2025 -- Matthew 5:2-10 -- Consider how blessed we are in Christ

People loved by the Father, in the Spirit's power: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

2 And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying:
3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
5 “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
7 “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.
8 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
9 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons[a] of God.
10 “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Matthew 5:2-10 ESV
 
Read those as a requirement to get into heaven, and the deafening accusations of our own sinfulness and waywardness will immediately prove how disqualified we are. We can’t do what Jesus taught. Are these beatitudes, these expressions of “blessed are” entrance requirements or are they the blessings that attend believers who follow Jesus Christ? It is the latter. Because we are in Christ,

1. We are aware of our poverty of spirit and our ever-greater desire for Jesus--the more we see our failure and know we need in the light of Christ, the more we are aware we are heirs of the Kingdom of heaven by the accomplished work of our elder brother, Jesus.

2. We mourn over our sin, because, as believers, we realize we are always sinning--our spirit guided by the Spirit desires Jesus, but our flesh pulls against this--the more we recognize this and therefore hate our sin and grieve over it the more we realize how much our sin contributed to Jesus' suffering; and consequently, all the more we rejoice in hope and greater still is our comfort because Jesus, for the joy set before Him, did not scorn the cross or its suffering, but did instead endure it unto the glory of God and for the glory of bringing many sons and daughters to their rightful Father.

3. The Christian is meek, that is humble--aware that his only boast is Jesus Christ and therefore, through Him he inherits the earth. Believers do not need to gather armies with guns and battleships, for by the Holy Spirit, believers engage hearts and minds for the kingdom. Who can stand when Jesus appears and the glory of His presence breaks on the awareness of the one listening to your testimony? We humbly share the glories of Jesus and His appointed ones are brought into the ranks of the Captain of our Salvation.

4. Those who hunger and thirst for righteousness--see where it is on the list, all those previous blessings are lavished on God’s children, then as believers in Christ, we are keenly aware of our poverty of spirit. We don’t bring anything to the table. God hasn’t chosen us because we’re strong, or brave, or good, or capable, or rich, or talented. No way. We were steeped in sin and rebellious against Him. So, we mourn over our lingering sin and are ever more humbled as we see how persistently God receives us, loves us, showers us with mercy in Christ and equips us with His Spirit for every good work. As His blessed children we hunger and thirst for more righteousness. There is no One like our God. Righteousness is holiness in action. Practically that means, as our Father has given commands, righteousness is desiring to be holy as God is holy and to express this in walking the way of His commandments every day. As the psalmist says, "to all perfect I see a limit, but Your commands are boundless" (Psalm 119:96 paraphrased). There is boundless joy, soul-satisfaction, the honour of living out the privilege of being a child of God in righteousness--this is what satisfies our hunger and thirst. The more we live for God, the more we desire to do so.

5. Believers are merciful because we have first received mercy, lovingkindness, patience, and love from God. So showered in His mercy, drenched in His love, awash in His patient guidance, we are merciful to others, and this opens up even greater channels of His mercy towards us as others, captivated by God’s mercy expressed in our lives, makes us Holy Spirit-powered soul-winners for Jesus.

6. Those who are pure in heart are made such by the Holy Spirit. Our sins are washed away and our nighttime of sin and slavery to the dominion of darkness has been broken. The Father has rescued us in Jesus Christ, bringing us into His kingdom of light and guarding us there by the power of His Spirit. We shall see God not because of our efforts, but because of the work of Jesus. Therefore, we see God's work in us now and we anticipate seeing Him face to face. This is part of the glory of our salvation.

7. Christians are peacemakers because God has in Christ has reconciled Himself to us and made peace with us through the cross. The peace we have is so powerful, so persistent, we bear peace to those around us. It is the Spirit Who guards us in the peace of Christ. It is the Spirit, Who after we have sinned, repented, confessed it, and turned in obedience to Jesus restores that peace which passes understanding. In fact, it is the Spirit Who restrains us from our sin so that peace is even possible and peace is preserved which draws us from the chaos and discombobulations which sin inevitably brings.

8. Having been so anchored in Christ, believers are able to endure persecution, ridicule, mocking, the loss of property, or freedom, or even life because Jesus is the treasure above all others. Jesus is the one treasure no earthly power can ever snatch from the believer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation, the old has passed away (the inheritance of darkness, the entangling chains of wicked deeds and thoughts and original sin, the slavish obedience to the devil who is the father of anyone not in Christ) and the new has taken hold and begins to unfold in glory. A man startled by the love of Jesus, captivated by Him through the inner working of the Holy Spirit, will prize Him above all--believers don't seek persecution or expressions of evil against them, but they hardly feel it because they have been so enraptured by their devoted love for and dedicated following of Jesus.

 
Glorious Father, what a storehouse of blessing is lavished upon us as believers in Christ. Truly You are magnificent! As we, empowered by Your Holy Spirit treasure Christ more dearly and walk with Him more intimately, may our lives show the blessedness You have given and are giving us, so that many others will be drawn to Jesus Who saved us, directs us, and is so perpetually captivating to our hearts, minds and imagination. Amen.
 
https://youtu.be/YdjFNHLHRB4?si=ZRFvbgJkNP16vItb Heaven Came Down
 

Copyright © 2025 Sh'ma Christian Ministries, All rights reserved.

December 9, 2025 -- Proverbs 6:27 -- Toying with sin? Stop it. Here's how

People loved by the Father, in the Spirit's power: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

Can a man carry fire next to his chest
  and his clothes not be burned?
Proverbs 6:27 ESV
 
Isn’t it crazy, the sins we fight are often the sins we toy with? Paul wrote of this when he stated he knows the right and good things he wants to do, but then forlornly adds “when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand” (Romans 7:21 ESV). Sin is like fire. Fire must be kept in the fireplace, or it will burn your hand, your clothes and whatever is valuable to you.
 
Fire in its proper place is warming and appropriate.

• In the context of Proverbs, men and women must not toy with adultery—it is uncontained fire.

• Gossip, a sin which is so common among believers, but often unchallenged. It is often phrased as if it were a prayer-request…but no prayer follows. It is a fire that must be quenched.

• There is such a thing as just anger (see Ephesians 4:26) which motivates a person to act in righteousness, but anger which is self-centred and focused becomes a forest fire causing great damage.

 
This month, we are examining what sin is, and how it affects us. If you realize you are toying with sin, confess it to God. Remove whatever tempts you to sin far from yourself, i.e.: cell phone not near your bed at night; not gaming which inflames lust for anger and vengeance, guarding your lips from gossip by examining what you are going to say and your intention in saying it before you speak. Ask the Spirit of the Living God to focus your heart on the loveliness of Christ and with the Psalmist to ask to gaze upon His beauty (Psalm 27:4). Gazing upon His beauty means to consider the salvation of God. The attributes of God. The patient-lovingkindness of God that rescues sinners. The work of Jesus by which you are declared a beloved son or daughter of God. Spend time listening to and singing along with Christian songs and hymns, which fill the heart and imagination with the beauty of our Redeemer. All these activities focus the soul, strength and imagination on Jesus, in Whom we have living water that wells up to eternal life. The water of life, that puts out the fires of sin. What a glorious Father, Who provides for His children the way of health and life.
 
Faithful Father, I confess I have been faithlessly toying with sin. Looking at the glowing embers in a fire or handling a twig that has a burning tip, I can become enthralled with the dancing, playfulness of the fire and get so distracted from what is good, holy, and true, that I find myself burned. Thank You for the Holy Spirit, Who reveals our sin, but then also gives us the strength to turn to Jesus in confession. Then lead us to meditate on Your attributes, Oh God our Faithful Father. Amen.
 
https://youtu.be/ndZsEDuCVAQ?si=OxjOxZpidpflZPjq Psalm 27 Shane and Shane
 

Copyright © 2025 Sh'ma Christian Ministries, All rights reserved.

December 8, 2025 -- I Samuel 15:22-23 -- What is rebellion? How do we defeat it?

People loved by the Father, in the Spirit's power: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

And Samuel said,
“Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices,
   as in obeying the voice of the LORD?
 Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice,
   and to listen than the fat of rams.
For rebellion is as the sin of divination,
   and presumption is as iniquity and idolatry.
Because you have rejected the word of the LORD,
   he has also rejected you from being king.”
I Samuel 15:22-23 ESV
 
Look at the comparison made between rebellion and other kinds of wickedness. Rebellion is as bad as divination, which is also known as witchcraft. Why are divination and witchcraft such evil that rejects those who practice it? The LORD our God has clearly revealed His will and given direction for the life of His people; those who practice witchcraft are aligning themselves with the devil to gain information and insight. It is the original sin of the Garden of Eden. The serpent deceived Eve, telling her she and Adam would be like God if they ate of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. Instead, all they gained was a sinful, rebellious nature.
 
Witchcraft includes such innocuous seeming things like Ouija Boards. Tarots cards are not party games, nor are they innocent fun, but they are a gateway to rebellion of the heart and a hardening of the mind against God. Many newspapers used to have horoscopes, and now you can find such ridiculousness on-line in various places. Again, it is an attempt to gain knowledge or insight through secret (dark) arts. Remember, yesterday, when we explored Ferguson’s definition of sin, he stated: “Sin is a serious reality with layers of rebellion, action, and intent that results in spiritual death and condemnation.” The schemes of the devil include a gradual, slow acclimatisation to evil. Once someone is used to an activity that is a thin layer of rebellion and is perhaps even defensive of having another person question that activity, he is prepared for another swallow of evil, which will result in another layer of rebellion and so on.
 
To combat such rebellion, one must ask himself, where is my heart pulling against the cords of God’s lovingkindness? Where do I think I know better than the word of God and His clear instruction? It is the work of the Holy Spirit to hold high the lamp of the Bible so that Christians can clearly see where the devil is trying to influence them and having discovered this, will then turn away from it and follow in the footsteps of Jesus.
 
Our Father, worthy of all honour and glory, we confess how readily, easily, and wantonly we rebel against Your clear commands. As the Spirit shines the light of the word into our hearts, we realize all over again how we turn to vile sins instead of treasuring the gift of life that is ours in Christ. We neglect the daily practice of the confession of our sins. Spirit of God, lead us away from our habitual sins and the wicked actions we so easily justify. Quiet our souls. Still our racing thoughts. Lead us to the awareness of the vast benefits divine which we in Christ possess. Help us to consider the inestimable blessedness and privilege of calling God, our Father. So renewed in our identity, instill in us a renewed zeal and holy desire to live for Jesus. Amen.
 
https://youtu.be/xQP0JsxEdPo?si=dmT6VG3tl7ss6HH3 O Come, O Come, Emmanuel
 

Copyright © 2025 Sh'ma Christian Ministries, All rights reserved.

December 2, 2025 -- Sin dislocates the soul; Christ resets and the Spirit restores

People loved by the Father, in the Spirit's power: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

Finally, then, brothers, we ask and urge you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God, just as you are doing, that you do so more and more. 2 For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus. 3 For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality; 4 that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor, 5 not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles who do not know God; 6 that no one transgress and wrong his brother in this matter, because the Lord is an avenger in all these things, as we told you beforehand and solemnly warned you. 7 For God has not called us for impurity, but in holiness. 8 Therefore whoever disregards this, disregards not man but God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you.
I Thessalonians 4:1-8 ESV
 
Yesterday we considered the definition of sin as the dislocation of the soul. When Jesus makes a believer a new creation, the old limp and wobbly strides are replaced with a desire to walk with God. Sin’s limp is contrasted with salvation’s walking to please God. It is very common for new believers to hesitate in their devotion to the very One Who rescued them from the wrath of God.
 
Here is an example that is repeated so endlessly I have no doubt some of my readers will contact me and accuse me of namelessly using them as an illustration. A man who is incarcerated commits his life to Jesus. He gets out of prison and follows Jesus, for a few weeks or months. Then, he meets a woman. She is described as “spiritual” but not a Christian. Can such a man truly walk in a manner which pleases God when he does not refrain from lust? No. To lust after a non-Christian is to intentionally engage in dislocating one’s soul, to disengage from the holiness required to follow God, and choosing instead to stumble in impure desires and the violation of one’s vows to God. Whatever sin we treasure, whenever it happens, we return to the halting and limping gate of former sins.
 
Notice the final line of today’s text: “whoever disregards this, disregards not man, but God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you”. Believers will struggle against the holiness of God. Believers will remember the old halting and limping ways of sin. But believers realize the Lord Who is Holy, has called His people from sad, sour, ways of sin into the joyful, sweet, sunshine of His love. Since in Christ we have light and life, why would we willingly, persistently, desire to be crippled? The fact we need to pose this question highlights the corruption of the dislocated soul. Do not despair. The Holy Spirit is given so that believers can please God and do so more and more.
 
Blessed LORD, in Exodus You revealed to Your people that You are the God Who heals. What a glorious Name. As You have rescued us in Jesus Christ, heal us of our waywardness through the powerful presence of Your Spirit. Amen.
 
https://youtu.be/XKOoeTbjSeI?si=1Lkgv1itRWA3GplO
Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing
 

Copyright © 2025 Sh'ma Christian Ministries, All rights reserved.

December 1, 2025 -- Romans 3:10b-18 -- Sin is the dislocation of the soul

People loved by the Father, in the Spirit's power: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

“None is righteous, no, not one;
11     no one understands;
    no one seeks for God.
12 All have turned aside; together they have become worthless;
    no one does good,
    not even one.”
13 “Their throat is an open grave;
    they use their tongues to deceive.”
“The venom of asps is under their lips.”
14     “Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness.”
15 “Their feet are swift to shed blood;
16     in their paths are ruin and misery,
17 and the way of peace they have not known.”
18     “There is no fear of God before their eyes.”
 Romans 3:10b-18 ESV
 
Crazy question. “What is sin?” If someone asked you to give a definition of sin, how would you explain it? What image would you use to help someone gain a deeper understanding of what sin does. The late Tim Keller used to quote Annie Dillard (Pulitzer Prize winning American Author, born in 1945) for one of his explanations of sin. He quoted Dillard this way:: “sin is the dislocation of the soul”.
 
Think of it. When you dislocate your hip, you might be able to walk, but it is painful. If you limp along and every action of your body is compromised by the effort. You spend time mentally sorting out how to accomplish tasks which, if your hip were in good working order, would never require a second thought.
 
Now apply that to the believer’s relationship with the Living God. Men and women were created to be in joyful, sustained relationship with their Creator. Sin however has dislocated that Creator-creature relationship in every single person who ever lived. The corruption of the mind by sin’s dislocation means that people can not even form an accurate picture of Who God, the Glorious  One, truly Is. Mouths, created to praise the Majestic LORD of Splendor and encourage fellow humans, now are filled with the filth of curses and slander. Life is dislocated and limping.
 
Praise God for the gift of Jesus Christ. At Christmas we celebrate the incarnation: Jesus’ conception spoken into existence by the Holy Spirit so that what is conceived in Mary’s womb is not tainted by sin. His soul was not dislocated by any wrong doing, nor did it ever limp in sin. Therefore, He is the perfect sacrifice to satisfy God’s just anger against the wickedness of all humanity. His Spirit is poured out so that the formerly dislocated are now made whole, and by the Spirit wholly able to walk with God.

O God, Healer of Your people, re-create us in Christ Jesus, so that my soul's dislocation is re-set and empowered by Your Holy Spirit I will follow Jesus in newness of life. Amen.

https://youtu.be/xQP0JsxEdPo?si=vIeJNbTX8Z8Gse01

O Come O Come Emmanuel

November 30, 2025 -- I Thessalonians 5:1-11 -- Anticipation and celebration

“But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.” – Philippians 3:20-21

1 Thessalonians 5:1-11

No doubt many of you know exactly how many days there are left until Christmas. As excited as some of you readers may be for that day, today’s devotion is asking you to examine yourself with this question: “Are you equally, less, or more excited for the return of Jesus?”

When my middle son was young, he’d get so excited for the company that would visit us during the Christmas break. In fact, he’d stand outside, in the cold, for as long as an hour, waiting for the company to arrive. He’d come into the house with them, having been the first to greet them…even though he’d been shivering for quite a while.

Jesus will return. The images in the passage are of people who are so intent on watching and waiting for Jesus’ return, that no thief in the night could possibly catch them unawares. Because they are wide awake, so ready for Jesus, they’d catch a robber before he’d rob them. Did you notice the reference to the breastplate of faith, love and the helmet of hope? The breastplate covers the heart, lungs and vital organs. It covered the guts as well. In those days it was thought your emotions came from your intestines. You know the expression, “I feel it in my guts. Right?” Guarding your vital seat of emotion kept alive the hope and expectation of Jesus’ return.

On this day of all the week the best, Sunday, may you grow in joyful anticipation that Jesus will return. His arrival is closer than you think.

Suggestions for prayer

Ask the Spirit of God to renew in your heart and imagination the wonderful expectation of the return of Jesus; pray that during this season many of your friends, co-workers and family members who do not know Jesus will encounter Him and join you in anticipating His return.

For over six years already, Rev. Vander Vaart has served as the Atlantic Region Representative of Redemption Prison Ministry. He does so as a Minister of the Word and Sacrament in the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church. Get this devotional delivered directly to your phone each day via our RP App. This devotional is made available by the Nearer To God Devotional team, who also make available in print, for purchase, at NTGDevotional.com

Copyright © 2025 Sh'ma Christian Ministries, All rights reserved.

November 29, 2025 -- Psalm 81:1-16 -- Tempted to praiseless prayers

People loved by the Father, in the Spirit's power: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

“Pray then like this: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.” – Matthew 6:9

Scripture reading: Psalm 81:1-16

Yesterday, a friend sent me a link to a snippet of a comedian’s shtick who was making fun of folks in the gym with massive water jugs. The comedian exaggerated about someone’s water backpack having a hose which led directly to the man’s mouth. He kept opening his mouth to suck on it. Pertinent to what the Psalmist is talking about, though. The Psalmist’s teaching asks “For what do you open wide your mouth?”

The first five verses are instructions for the people of God to open their mouths wide to praise God. The opening two phrases are parallels of intensification; sing aloud and then shout for joy to God. Energy and all kinds of musical instruments are to be used to bring glory to God.

The people had been neglecting to sing and shout to God. Their voices went out to strange gods. Their knees were calloused from bending to idols. It is a distressing picture. The faithless people who were made for praise, had been opening wide their mouths to that which is worthless.

The Lord’s prayer teaches believers the place of adoration. Like Psalm 81, the prayer begins and ends with praise to God. When believers take up the words of Jesus, they realize God the Father alone is the source of satisfaction in life. As water is vital to the person weary from a work-out, so is praise vital to the believer. Adoration revives the heart and inspires the mind to know God as He is. Praising God is as satisfying as the sweetness of honey.

Suggestions for prayer

Think of some of your most cherished names, or titles for God (like: Good Shepherd, or Father, or The LORD who provides) and pray such back to Him in adoration.

For over six years already, Rev. Vander Vaart has served as the Atlantic Region Representative of Redemption Prison Ministry. He does so as a Minister of the Word and Sacrament in the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church. Get this devotional delivered directly to your phone each day via our RP App. This devotional is made available by the Nearer To God Devotional team, who also make available in print, for purchase, at NTGDevotional.com.

Copyright © 2025 Sh'ma Christian Ministries, All rights reserved.

November 28, 2025 -- Psalm 39:4-6 -- Tempted to forget the measure of your days

People loved by the Father, in the Spirit’s power: Sh’ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

When you discipline a man with rebukes for sin, you consume like a moth what is dear to him; surely all mankind is a mere breath!” – Psalm 39:11 

Scripture reading: Psalm 39:4-6

Three images used to depict what is called the fleeting length of a man’s life. The first is a handbreadth. Look at how long your palm is. Now, compare the breadth of your palm to the length of your arm. Your arm is much longer than your palm. It is a simple visual of how your spiritual life is much longer than your physical life. The measure of your earthly days is short compared to the eternity that stretches before you.

The second image is a mere breath, or the word vanity (verse 5). The second time this image is used, it is connected to the destructive work of a moth (verse 11). The Lord consumes what is dear to a man like a moth destroys wool. As the end of life nears, a man’s possessions leave him. Think of senior citizens who move from a house to an apartment and downsize. Then they downsize again to move to a senior’s home. Finally, they are alone, on a bed, as life ebbs away. All of life is vanity.

The third image is a shadow. As the morning sun gains strength and rises, shadows flee. At the fullness of day there are no more shadows. Think of how you are longing for Christmas, and the celebrations to come. It will be here sooner than you think. Just like Christmas will be here before you know it, so will the return of Jesus Christ come sooner than you expect. Knowing how fleeting are your days, put all your hope in Jesus.

Suggestions for prayer

Praise God for the nearness of Jesus’ return; ask the Spirit to renew in you a deeper awareness of what it means that earthly life is short, and eternity will stretch on with no end so that your heart’s hope will be firmly anchored on Jesus.

For over six years already, Rev. Vander Vaart has served as the Atlantic Region Representative of Redemption Prison Ministry. He does so as a Minister of the Word and Sacrament in the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church. Get this devotional delivered directly to your phone each day via our RP App. This devotional is made available by the Nearer To God Devotional team, who also make available in print, for purchase, at NTGDevotional.com.

November 27, 2025 -- Colossians 3:12-17 -- Tempted to Gluttony

People loved by the Father, in the Spirit's power: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

“…and put a knife to your throat if you are given to appetite. [The word appetite also means gluttony.]” – Proverbs 23:2

Scripture reading: Colossians 3:12-17

What is your favourite memory related to Christmas meals? I clearly remember one aunt who always had potato salad that was a bright yellow. She added mustard to the dish. This was in the 1970’s. That item was added to a table that was already groaning with all kinds of food. Christmas is closely linked to eating. A simple on-line search will reveal that the average Canadian male will gain about 3 pounds (1.2kg) at Christmas time. One local gym promotes their survey results, which reports that it is common for adults to gain 5 to 8 pounds during the extended week that includes the Christmas and New Year celebrations.

Is it strange, that at the time of the year when Christians celebrate the Incarnation, they also indulge in gluttony? Think of it, when Jesus left the splendour of heaven, and became human, He endured deprivation and hardship. He had nowhere to lay His head. He was not provided with gluttonous feasts. Yet Christians celebrate with excess. They eat too much food, sweets and candy. I would even suggest attendance at church worship declines because people choose feasts above intentional gathering.

When planning your celebratory feasts this Christmas, will you consider what is an appropriate amount of food and what is too much? Maybe, with your family now, plan for meals that are celebratory, but not indulgent. The point is not the food, the point is gathering in celebration of God’s grace. Involve your family so that even in your eating and drinking you honour God.

Suggestions for prayer

Give thanks to God for the abundance of His provision to you and your family; seek the wisdom of the Spirit in preparing meals.

For over six years already, Rev. Vander Vaart has served as the Atlantic Region Representative of Redemption Prison Ministry. He does so as a Minister of the Word and Sacrament in the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church. Get this devotional delivered directly to your phone each day via our RP App. This devotional is made available by the Nearer To God Devotional team, who also make available in print, for purchase, at NTGDevotional.com.

Copyright © 2025 Sh'ma Christian Ministries, All rights reserved.